Nailing machine



Feb. 79 1950 E, P. ANsTET-r 2,49,974

NAILING MACHINE Filed March 26, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb., R 3%@ E. P.ANSTETT 294969974y NAILING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed MaIGh 26, 1945Patented Feb. 7, 195@ N AILING MAQHTNE,

Edgar P. Anstett, Chicago, Ill., assigner, byy directr and mesmeassignments, to` Powernails Ccmpany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application March 26, 1945, Serial No. 584,755

(Cl. lm'') Claims.

This invention relates to nailing machines of' the type which are usedfor driving a nail into a picture frame or the like, for holding acardboard or similar backing which is positioned in the frame over theglass.

In the mounting of pictures or the like in picture frames it is usual toplace a glass in a rabbet in the frame, then place the picture or otherpaper to be framed over the glass and back the same with a piece ofcardboard of approximately the same size as the piece oi glass. Theassembly is then held in place by a series of nailswhich are driven partway into the wood of the frame so that aportion of each nail projectsinwardly of the frame opening and overlies the cardboard backing. Inorder to prevent any possible movement of the cardboard backing it isnecessary that the lprojecting part of the nail be in such a position asto exert some pressureagainst the cardboard, pressing it towards theglass. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide anailing machine particularly adapted for use in connection with pictureframes, which nailing machine will drive a nail straight through the rstfractional part of its travel into the frame and then will drive it atan angle to force the portion of the nail that has not yet beenV driveninto the wood out of its original straight line position into pressureengagement with the cardboard backing, and which nailing machine willcontinue to drive the nail a very short distance while at the same timealso pressing the nail towards the cardboard backing. As a result ofthis arrangement the nail is positively forced into pressure engagementwith the cardboard while the part of the nail) which is in the wood, ora major part of that part of the nail which is in the wood, is snuglyheld in place by the wood.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nailingmachine wherein the individual nail that is being driven into the woodis confined against Abuckling during at least the major part of the naildriving operation.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof,

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side View of the nailing machine of the present inventionin use;

Figure 2 is a front view of the nailing machine of the presentinvention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the machine 2 with certain partsbroken awayl to illustratey the interior construction;

Figurel is a section taken along the line 4--4' of Figure 3 and lookingin the direction of thev view through the nailing head of the machineof* the present invention, said View being taken along the line 9-9 ofFigure 2K;

Figure 10 is a View similar to Figure 9 andv showing the driving plungerin its extreme driven position;

Figure 11 is a View taken along the line II-ll of Figure 10 and lookingin the direction of the arrows; and

Figure l2 is an enlargedv sectional view taken along the line lZ-I 2 ofFigure 9.

Reference may now be had more particular-ly to the drawings wherein likereference numerals designate like parts throughout.

The machine of the present invention is particularly adapted for drivinginto a picture frame those nails which are used to hold the picture andglass in place. sectional view of a conventional type of wooden pictureframe whereinthe frame members have the usual'frabbet 2 on which issupported a rectangular glass pane 3 whereon is laid the picture i to beframed, whichv picture is backed by a cardboard backing 5. wood framepart way of the length of the nail, and the protruding part is bentdownwardly into engagement with the back ofthe cardboard back 5 to holdthe backing in place and thus hold the picture l and glass 3 in place.The ymachine 'l of the present invention is particularly adapted forvdriving the nails 6 in place in such a manner that by a single operationthe nail is driven into the picture frame and is bent downwardly intoerigagement with the backing 5.

rihe machine of the present invention comprises a base le having anupright handle il extending therefrom. The base and handle constituteone unitary castingI` preferably oi a plastic material which may bethermoplastic or thermo At i there is illustrated a crossl Nails 6 aredriven into the Y' setting. The handle II has a vertically extendingstraight bore on opposite sides of which are mounted two lengthwiseextending steel strips I2-i2 which constitute a trackway for a stack ofnails. The strips I2I2 extend the full height of the machine and arespaced apart, as indicated at I3, an amount slightly in excess of thewidth of the nail. The inner side of the bore within which the stripsI2-I2 are mounted is a lesser width as indicated at I4 than at I5. TheWidth at I4, however, is greater than the Width of the space I3 betweenthe strips. There is thus formed a longitudinally extending verticalgroove I5 for receiving the heads of the nails of a stick of nails, saidheads bearing against shoulders I5 which are the edges of the strips I2.The shoulders act as rails for holding the heads of the nails againstforward movement through the space I3 while permitting downward movementof the nails.

The base I0 of the nailing machine extends rearwardly from the handle Iland has, at its bottom rear portion, a rectangular channelshaped groovefor receiving a rectangular shank 2| of a plunger 22. The plunger 22 hasa straight -slot 24 in the top surface thereof for receiving the lowerend of a screw 25 which is threaded in the base I0 and acts as alimiting stop to limit the stroke of the plunger. A spring 26 normallyurges the plunger to its retracted g` position.

The bottom of the plunger 22 has a central longitudinally extendingstraight projection 2'I extending the full length thereof. Theprojection 2'! is of a width only slightly greater than :3*y

the width of the head of a nail to be driven by the machine. Theprojection 21 has a cross slot 28 intermediate the ends thereof, and isof a shorter height at the front of the plunger than at the rear, asindicated at 29. A steel driver blade 3| of a width exactly the same asthat of the projection 21 and of a thickness equal to the difference inheight between the base of the projection 2l and the surface 29 ispositioned against the surface 29 and has a bent over lip 34 thatextends into the slot 28.

A metal plate 40, of a thickness of approximately l@ of an inch, is laidon the bottom surface of the base ID. The plate has a longitudinallyextending channel 42 that embraces the projection 21 and the blade 3I.The inside width of the channel very slightly exceeds the width of thehead of a nail to be driven by the machine. The bottom of the trough 42of the plate 4Q is ush with the bottom of the plates i5- 45, as

may be seen from Figure 6. The top of the trough 42 of the plate 45 actsas a support for the blade 3| of the plunger. The plate l0 has four ovalholes 43-43 through which the shanks of fastener screws 44 may extend,The four i screws 44 pass through holes in the base I5, through theelongated holes 43-43 in the plate and thread into two steel plates45-45, drawing those steel plates firmly against the plate 45 anddrawing that plate firmly against the bottom of the base I0. It isobvious that by loosening the screw 44--44 the position of the plate 4E!may be shifted to or from the forward end of the machine and then byretightening the screws the position of the plate is locked.

The steel plates 45 are each of a length equal 'to the length of thebase I0 of the machine and of a width slightly less than half of thewidth of the base I IJ, each of the plates 45 extending from the outerange of the channel 42 of the f projection 5l from the vertical grooveI5.

4 plate 4Q to the side of the machine, as may be seen from Figure 5.

The forward bottom surface of each plate 45 is milled to a reducedthickness, as indicated at 4S in Figure 8. The portion of reducedthickness extends back from the forward edge of the plate 45 an amountapproximately one-half inch, or an amount slightly in excess of themaximum distance which the end of a driven nail protrudes from therabbet 2 of a picture frame or the like. This is for a purpose whichwill be apparent as this description proceeds.

The top of the handle I I is provided with a spring closure plate whichlies flat on the top of the handle and is held in position by a singlescrew 56 that also acts as a pivot for the closure 55. The closure 55has a slight depression 51 that extends into the space I5 0f the handleand thus holds the closure 55 against turning about the center of thescrew 56. The closure 55 also has a short upstanding gripping ear 58,

If it is desired to insert nails into the machine the ear 5S of theclosure plate 55 is grasped and pulled upwardly an amount sufficient toclear the This lifting action is possible without actuating the screw56, due to the springiness of the material of the closure 55. Aftel` theclosure has been lifted an amount such that the projection 5l clears thegroove I5, the closure plate is turned 180 about the screw 56 as acenter. Thereafter a stick of nails, indicated at 59, is inserted intothe machine. The nails are sheet metal stampings, T-shaped, with thehead of the T approximately twice as wide as the width of the shank ofthe nail. The nails are positioned one above the other and are adheredtogether into a stick by a coating of glue. The Shanks of the nails ofthe stick extend into the space I3 between the two strips I2--I2, andthe heads of the nails ride upon the shoulders I5, the heads being toowide to pass through the space I3 between the two strips I2-I2. Thestrips I2-I2 thus act as rails guiding the heads of the nailsdownwardly. The bottom nail of the stick rests upon the top surface ofthe channel web 42 of the plate 4U, as may be seen from Figure 9. Theforward edge of the plate 40 terminates rearwardly of the forward edgeof the machine an amount slightly less than one-half inch. The exactamount is determined by the manual positioning of the adjustable plate40, which may be shifted forwardly or rearwardly within the limitsdetermined by the sizes of the oval slots 33 through which the screws 44extend.

It is to be noted that the forward driving edge 6I of the blade 3l isnot at right angles to the top and bottom planar surfaces of the bladebut at a slight inclination to the vertical. This lnclination may be ofthe order of 20-30 to the vertical.

When the blade 3| is in the position illustrated in Figure 9 it is readyto engage the head of the bottommost driving nail. If the blade 3| ismoved forwardly from the position illustrated in Figure 9 it then movesthe lowermost nail forwardly driving it into the rabbet of the pictureframe. At the same time the inclined edge 60 of the driving blade 3|tends to drive the rear end of the nail downwardly. The rear end of thenail cannot move downwardly because it is supported by the top surfaceof the channel 42 of the plate 4D. The nail is thus driven straight intothe rabbet, and continues to move straight until the head of the nailclear-s the plate 40.

At this time the nail is no `longer supported against downward movement.vDue to the inclination of the surface 60 of the driving blade 3|further movement of the driving blade imposes a downward force on thehead of the nail and forces the head downwardly into engagement with thecardboard backing 5 in the picture frame. The adjustment of .the plate40 smade such that the forward end 60 of the blade 3| in its extremeforward driven position sl'mhtly in advance of the forward edge ofv thevplate 40. As a result the nail is driven forward and downwardly foronly a very short distance, approximately 146 of an inch.

The blade 3| is of a width equal to the width of the head of the nails.After the nail has been driven forward a very slight amount the head ofthe nail and the end of the driving blade 3l move between the bottom ofthe steel strips l2-I 2 and the top or inner surface'of the web .of thechannel 62 and are confined in that space against upward or downwardmovement. This confining action permits the use of a driving blade 3l nothicker than the thickness of the nail. After the nail head clears theplate 4U and is no-longer confined against downward movement the steelstrips |2-I2 still continue to support the blade 3l and the nail headagainst upward movement.

If longer nails are used the plate 40 is vmoved slightly rearward. Also,for longer nails the blade 3l is preferably, but not necessarily,replaced by a similar blade of a slightly shorter length. By way ofexample, if the nail is 1/4 inch longer the blade may be 1A; inchshorter.

After the nail has been driven into the wood the machine may be slidalong the edge of the picture frame to the next nail driving position.During such movement of the machine the cutout part 48 of the plate 45passes over the portion of the nail that projects from the vertical wallof the rabbet of the picture frame. As a result of this cut-away portion48 a side movement of the machine from one nailing position to the nextwhile keeping the machine in position on the picture frame does notimpose any side bending stresses on the projecting end of the lastdriven nail.

If it is desired to drive a nail completely into the wood the plunger 2lis replaced by one having a longer slot 24, which will give the plungera longer stroke, and the plate lill is adjusted forwardly until itsforward edge is at or very close to the forward edge of the machine.

In compliance with the requirements 0f the patent statutes I have hereshown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is,however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe principles of the invention. What is considered new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A nailing machine having a nail driving plunger adapted to bearagainst the head end of a nail, the nail driving bearing end of theplunger being inclined with respect to a plane at right angles to thedirection of travel of the plunger, and means for supporting a nailagainst bending under the action 0f said inclined bearing end of theplunger during at least a part of the nail driving movement.

2. A nailing machine having a nail driving plunger adapted to bearagainst the head end of a nail, the bearing end of the plunger beinginclined with respect to a plane at right angles tothe direction voftravel of the plunger, and means for supporting a nail against bendingunder the action of said inclined bearing end of the plunger during atleast a part of the nail driving movement, said means terminating shortof the end of the driving stroke of the nail whereby as the drivingstroke is being completed the inclined bearing end of the plunger forcesone end of the nail to deflect from a straight line path.

3. A nailing machine including means for driving a nail for a distanceequal to a fractional part of the length of the nail, means forsupporting the nail against side movement during the major portion ofthe driving travel of the nail, said nail clearing the said supportingmeans as the nail approaches its limit of travel, said driving meansincluding means for forcing one end of a nail sideways towards the endof the driving movement thereof after the nail clears said supportingmeans.

4. A nailing machine having means for receiving a stack of nails, aplunger adapted to drive the first nail of the stack forward, saidplunger having a nail rbearing end at an inclination to the end of thenail being driven so that the plunger'tends to impart a side force inaddition to the forward driving force to the nail, means conning thenail against said side, said confining means terminating short of thelimit of travel of a nail under the action of the plunger so that as anail approaches its limit of travel a portion thereof is capable of sideexing under the action of the side force imposed thereon by the plunger.

5. A nailing machine including a nail driving plunger, a platesupporting a surface of the nail being driven land along which theplunger and the driven nail slide, said nail clearing said supportingplate as the nail approaches its limit of travel whereby for theremainder of the driving stroke of the nail it is unsupported along thatsurface of the nail which previously slid on the plate, said plate beinglocated at an en-d of the machine and being adjustable in the directionof driving movement of the nail to alter the position at which the nailceases to be supported by the plate, land means for securing the platein its adjusted position.

6. In a nailing machine, a magazine for supporting a stack of nails, aplunger having an angled face for vdriving the nails one lat a time, andguide means for guiding the driven nail for a predetermined distance inthe direction of movement of the plunger, one end of said nailthereafter being deflected vat an angle to its initial movement by saidangled face of said plunger as the nail clears the guide means.

'7. In a nailing machine. a magazine for supporting a plurality ofnails, a plunger having an angled face for drivingl the nails one at atime, guide means for restricting movement of a driven nail to a singledirection for a predetermined distance when force is applied thereto bythe angled face of said plunger, thereafter said angled face causingmovement of one end of said 'driven nail at an angle to said direction,and means for automatically returning said plunger in readiness fordriving the next nail.

8. In a portable nailing machine, a magazine for holding a plurality ofnails, a plunger having an angled face for driving said nails one at atime, a guide plate having a channel portion for supporting part ofsai-d plunger and part of the driven nail, said guide plate terminatinga predetermined distance short of the extent of driving movement of theangled face of said plunger, and plates adjacent said channel portionhaving recessed portions extending forward of the en d of said channelportion, Wherebysaid portable nailing machine may be slid past the nailthat has been partially driven thereby.

9. In a machine for driving a headed nail, a magazine for receiving aplurality of said nails having a receiving recess conforming tothecontour of said nail but slightly in excess thereof, a plunger having anangled face for driving the nails one at a time, and a guidewayunderlying a portion of said plunger and a portion of the driven nail,said guideway terminating short of the extent of forward movement of theangled face of said plunger, whereby the driven nail is guided betweenthe underside of said magazine and said guideway during only a portionof its driven movement and thereafter one end of said nail is free tomove also at an angle to its guided movement during the remainder of thedriving stroke of the langled face of said plunger.

10. In a nailing machine, a magazine for supporting a plurality ofnails, a plunger having an angled face for driving of said nails one ata time,

and an ladjustable guideway supporting at least a portion of saidplunger and only a portion of the driven nail, said guideway terminatingshort of the extent of forward movement of the angled face of saidplunger, whereby said driven nail wi1l be driven by the angled face ofsaid plunger in a, single direction for the extent of said guideway andthereafter one end of said nail will be deilected at an angle to saiddirection by the angled face of said plunger, and means fol` adjustablysecuring said guideway in place.

EDGAR P. ANSTETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

